Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visit Northern Ireland
- Published
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visited a number of locations in Belfast and Lisburn.
Prince Harry and his fiancée Meghan Markle have completed their visit to Northern Ireland with a trip to Titanic Belfast.
It was their fourth and final stop on the surprise trip, part of a string of engagements ahead of their wedding on 19 May.
The couple were shown the work of a peace-initiative near Lisburn and also took in the Crown Bar in Belfast.
They also visited Catalyst Inc in the city's regenerated docklands.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle meet the public in Belfast
Catalyst Inc is a not-for-profit organisation aimed at nurturing new scientific ideas.
They were greeted by dignitaries including Lord Mayor Nuala McAllister and East Belfast MP Gavin Robinson.
The couple were shown an innovative range for newborns on their visit to the tech hub.
When the entrepreneurs behind the products told the royal couple they could have some of the products free of charge, the prince quipped: "How many have you got?"
His fiancée laughed and gestured to all the products on view, and said: "I'm sure at some point we'll need the whole (lot)."
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As they left, Ms Markle briefly took a detour to shake the hands of some of those still gathered outside.
Titanic Belfast chief executive Judith Owens told the Press Association that Ms Markle had "praised the warmth of the Belfast people".
Speaking after the visit, Ms Owens said: "Meghan just said that she had really enjoyed today, that the people of Belfast were so friendly and they had really enjoyed the mix of the different places where they had been.
Hundreds of spectators gathered in Belfast to meet the prince and Ms Markle
"She said, 'it has been lovely, everybody has been very warm and friendly'."
Ms Owens said it was "great" to welcome the couple to the attraction on their first official visit to Northern Ireland.
Earlier, the couple enjoyed lunch at the historic Crown Bar, in Belfast city centre, before shaking hands with some of those huddled outside.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive at the Crown Bar in Belfast
The Crown Liquor Saloon is one of Belfast's most iconic buildings and is owned by the National Trust.
Staff from the National Trust shared some of the pub's history with the prince and Ms Markle before a private lunch.
The couple's tour began at the Eikon Centre, near Lisburn, on Friday morning, where they were shown the work of Amazing the Space, a cross-community peace initiative.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle visiting Catalyst Inc, Northern Ireland's next generation science park
It was launched by Prince Harry in September 2017 and empowers young people in Northern Ireland to become ambassadors for peace in their communities.
The couple surprised a huge crowd of unsuspecting children when they arrived to take their seats in the front row for the event.
They received a rapturous reception as they entered the performance arena to watch a fusion of song, dance and uplifting messages from young people as they delivered their "peace pledges".
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle arrive in Lisburn, County Antrim
They briefly joined some of the performers on stage at the end of the event when they were presented with a picture of a "peace tree".
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The trip is part of the couple's public engagements in the run-up to their wedding on 19 May. It is their first official joint visit to Northern Ireland.
An invitation to the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle
Invitations to their wedding were issued on Thursday.
- Published12 February 2018
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